Online Counselling · Dr. Prerna Kohli
A question I hear often, especially from people far from home, is whether therapy "really works" over a video call — or whether something essential is lost when you are not in the same room. It is a fair thing to ask. After years of seeing clients both in my Gurgaon clinic and on screens across the world, my honest answer is that for most people, online therapy is every bit as real, as warm, and as effective as meeting in person. Here is how to know if it is right for you.
Does online therapy actually work?
Yes. For most concerns, online therapy is as effective as meeting in person — the relationship, the conversation, and the care translate fully to a video call. What makes therapy work is the quality of the connection between you and your psychologist, and that is not lost over a screen. Many people find it even easier to open up from a space where they already feel safe.
The worry that something vital disappears online is understandable, but in practice it rarely does — and the research bears this out. Studies of video-based therapy have consistently found that, for many common concerns, online counselling produces outcomes broadly comparable to in-person sessions. Within a few minutes most people forget the screen is there at all, and the work proceeds exactly as it would in the room.
PK
From a clinical-psychology lens. Dr. Prerna Kohli is a clinical psychologist with over 30 years of practice who works with clients in her Gurgaon clinic and online across the world, including Indians living abroad. In her experience, the warmth and depth of the work carry fully across a video call.
Is online therapy right for me?
Online therapy suits most people, and it is especially well-matched to anyone with a demanding schedule, limited privacy at a clinic, mobility or travel barriers, or who simply prefers their own space. It is ideal for Indians living abroad who want a psychologist who understands their cultural world. It may suit you less if you lack any private, quiet place to talk, or are in a serious crisis that needs in-person or urgent care.
Online therapy tends to be a good fit if you…
- Have a busy schedule and value not having to travel to appointments.
- Live abroad and want a psychologist who understands the Indian context.
- Feel more comfortable opening up from your own home.
- Have limited access to a qualified psychologist where you live.
- Want continuity of care even when you move cities or countries.
What can online therapy help with?
Online therapy can help with most of the everyday concerns people bring to a psychologist — anxiety, low mood and depression, stress and burnout, grief, loneliness, low self-esteem, relationship and marital difficulties, and the adjustment and isolation that often come with living abroad. For these, the depth of the work matters far more than whether it happens on a screen or in a room.
Is online counselling a good option for NRIs and Indians abroad?
It is often the best option. For Indians living abroad, online therapy means working with a psychologist who already understands joint-family dynamics, the weight of duty, and the realities of building a life between two cultures — so you spend your sessions on the actual problem, not on explaining your background first. Sessions are scheduled around your local time, wherever in the world you are.
This is a large part of my practice, and there is a great deal that is specific to the diaspora experience. I have written about it in depth on my page on mental health support for NRIs and the Indian diaspora.
Within a few minutes, most people forget the screen is even there. What carries across is the only thing that ever mattered — being properly heard.
Online therapy vs in-person sessions: is it the same?
In the ways that matter, yes — the same structure, the same confidentiality, the same depth of care, and the same length, usually 45 to 60 minutes. The first session follows the same gentle arc whether on screen or in the room. The practical differences are small: you join from a private space of your own rather than travelling to the clinic. If you would like to know what a first session involves, I have written about
what to expect at your first therapy session.
Is online therapy private and confidential?
Yes. An online session is held to the same confidentiality as an in-clinic one — what you share is not discussed with anyone without your consent, save for the standard exceptions where there is a serious risk of harm. On your side, all you need is a private, quiet space where you can speak freely without being overheard.
What do I need for an online session?
Very little: a private, quiet space, a reasonably stable internet connection, and a phone, tablet or computer with a camera. It helps to join a few minutes early to settle, much as you would arrive a little early at a clinic. That is all — the rest is simply our conversation.
Can couples or family join an online session?
Yes. Couples and family sessions work well online, and for partners or relatives living in different cities or countries, a video session is often the only practical way to be in the room together at all. Many NRI couples find this especially valuable — it lets them work on the marriage without waiting for a trip home.
Can I switch between online and in-person sessions?
Yes, easily. Many people move between the two as life allows — online when travel or a busy schedule makes it simpler, and in clinic in Gurgaon when they prefer to meet in person. The continuity of care stays exactly the same either way.
Composite · Across the miles
Nisha, London
Nisha had put off therapy for two years, unsure a psychologist back home could help from so far away — and reluctant to explain her family's expectations to someone who would not understand them. Online sessions, scheduled around London evenings, turned out to be the opposite of distant. She could finally talk about what was weighing on her without translating her whole world first.
Composite illustration drawn from common patterns; not a specific individual.
Why do people choose online therapy?
People choose online therapy — also called online counselling or virtual counselling — for the freedom it gives them: real psychological support without the travel, scheduled around their own time zone, from a private space where they already feel at ease. For anyone living abroad or moving between cities, it also means continuity of care and access to the right psychologist regardless of where they are.
Why clients value online sessions
- No travel — and the time it gives back to your day.
- Sessions scheduled around your time zone, wherever you live.
- Privacy: you speak from your own safe, familiar space.
- Continuity of care, even when you move cities or countries.
- Access to the right online psychologist, regardless of where you are.
- The same confidentiality and depth as in-clinic work.
Common questions at a glance
Does online therapy actually work?
Yes — for most concerns it's as effective as meeting in person.
Read the full answer →Is online therapy right for me?
It suits most people, especially busy schedules, privacy needs, and NRIs.
Read the full answer →What can online therapy help with?
Anxiety, low mood, stress, burnout, grief, loneliness, and relationship difficulties.
Read the full answer →Is it a good option for NRIs?
Often the best — a psychologist who understands your context, in your time zone.
Read the full answer →Online therapy vs in person — is it the same?
In the ways that matter — same structure, confidentiality, care, and length.
Read the full answer →Is online therapy confidential?
Yes — held to the same confidentiality as an in-clinic session.
Read the full answer →What do I need for a session?
A private space, a stable connection, and a device with a camera.
Read the full answer →Can couples or family join online?
Yes — often the only practical way for partners in different countries.
Read the full answer →Can I switch between online and in person?
Yes, easily — many people move between the two as life allows.
Read the full answer →Why do people choose online therapy?
Convenience, privacy, time-zone flexibility, and continuity of care.
Read the full answer →
Therapy that meets you where you are.
Wherever you are in the world, you can work with a psychologist who understands your context — confidential online sessions scheduled around your time zone, or in clinic in Gurgaon if you prefer. Let's find what suits you.
NR 36, Nathupur Road, near Neelkanth Hospital, DLF Phase 3, Sector 24, Gurgaon, Haryana 122002
By appointment · 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM · 7 days a week · +91 98118 62338
About the author — Dr. Prerna Kohli
Dr. Prerna Kohli is a clinical psychologist with over 30 years of practice, based in Gurgaon. She holds a PhD from Aligarh Muslim University, where she was a four-time gold medallist, and received the "100 Women Achievers of India" award from the President of India in 2016. A TEDx speaker and published author, she works with individuals, couples and families through her private practice — in clinic in Gurgaon and online worldwide.
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This article is for general guidance and education and is not a substitute for individual professional assessment. If your concern is serious or urgent, please seek appropriate in-person or professional care without delay.
